ANGELA ALLEN FROM BULWELL SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IN PLYMOUTH

In December 2009, Angela Allen, a 39-year-old woman from Bulwell, was sentenced to serve a minimum of five years in prison after being found guilty of serious crimes involving child abuse and exploitation. The case, which drew widespread media attention, was heard at Bristol Crown Court, where Allen faced charges related to her involvement in a disturbing online network of child exploitation.

Allen was part of a broader investigation that also implicated Plymouth nursery worker Vanessa George and internet predator Colin Blanchard. Both George and Blanchard received indeterminate sentences, with George being required to serve at least seven years before being eligible for parole, while Allen's minimum term was set at five years. The presiding judge, Mr. Justice John Royce, emphasized the gravity of the crimes and warned that release from prison would only occur if the offenders no longer posed a threat to society.

During the sentencing, Mr. Justice Royce expressed his disgust and concern, stating, “This case has caused widespread revulsion and incredulity. It has shaken the city of Plymouth, but the shockwaves extend much further, perhaps to every nursery school in the country.” The court also announced that the sentencing of Colin Blanchard, aged 38, would be postponed to a later date.

All three defendants had pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including sexual assault and the creation and distribution of indecent images of children. The court was informed that Allen and George claimed that most of the explicit images they exchanged were staged, but the evidence presented painted a far more disturbing picture. The court heard that Blanchard had manipulated both women, promising them love, attention, and a future together, in order to exploit them sexually and to fulfill his own perverse desires.

Vanessa George had previously admitted to seven sexual assaults on children and six counts of distributing and creating indecent images. Colin Blanchard pleaded guilty to 17 counts related to child pornography and two counts of sexual assault on children, in addition to possessing extreme pornography. Angela Allen admitted to four counts of sexual assault on children and one count of distributing an indecent image.

The crimes for which they were convicted began in September of the previous year, after the three individuals reportedly met on a social networking site. Their abusive activities continued until June of that year. The victims, young children, were subjected to humiliating sexual abuse by George, Allen, and Blanchard. The perpetrators recorded these acts on their mobile phones and exchanged the images via email, using unprotected accounts such as MSN Hotmail. Notably, the offenders never met in person, despite their online interactions, and their actions shocked the community and law enforcement alike.